The present invention relates to raised framework construction and more particularly to scaffold deck mounting structure for mounting a scaffold deck to a raised framework, such as a vertical scaffold supporting tower formed from joined tubular support rods.
Various types of scaffold support decks are known in the ladder construction art, such support decks usually including a flat support platform mounted on a pair of spaced longitudinally extending rails having spaced rung members extending therebetween. Such scaffold support decks are conveniently manufactured in seven (7), eight (8), and ten (10) feet lengths and have included a number of different types of fastening members at opposite extremities to fasten the decks to raised tower support structure. Not only have these past fastening members been difficult and comparatively expensive to manufacture and assemble but also have often required undesirable modifications to the scaffold deck structure extremities as well as to fastener members themselves which have resulted in undesirable stability and weakness areas in the support members.
The present invention, recognizing the problems of past scaffold deck members provides a unique support structure which can be readily manufactured and assembled to scaffold decks of a generally known type after the scaffold deck has been manufactured with optimum support strengthened and stability and without unnecessary and undesirable changes to rung or brace positioning of end rungs which end rungs desirably should be located proximate the platform ends so as to enhance such desired stability. In addition, the unique and novel structure of the present invention provides for maximum overall stress distribution of a scaffold deck without unnecessary notching or changes in end braces or rungs with concomitant weakness from such notching and changes. Further, the present invention provides a deck fastening member in which both end portions of the fastening members rest in a common plane so as to avoid undesirable stresses from bending, metal working or casting and, at the same time, allowing ready manufacture and assembly in a straight-forward and economical manner. Moreover, the present invention provides a unique fastener member which can readily be positioned and mounted without hollowing structure at any one of the four corners of a longitudinally extending support deck, permitting end-to-end mounting of support decks on raised platform structure with a minimum spacing between adjacent ends of adjacent support decks.
Various other features of the present invention will become evident to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein.